We recently connected with Shiva Mehta and have shared our conversation below.

Shiva, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I was always the ‘photographer’ in my family and friend circle, something I enjoyed for fun which later developed into a creative and therapeutic outlet. What I didn’t realise at the time was that this path would eventually lead to the fusion of both my passions, wildlife and photography, something I hadn’t even imagined was a possibility.

Over the years I went onto explore different avenues of photography. Initially I was completely self-taught and I tended to shy away from any structured teaching. I didn’t have the confidence or belief that I could ever turn this expanding craft into anything more than a hobby.

I simply remember reading the manual of my first DSLR camera over and over and experimenting with it. I read books and watched YouTube videos to understand light and exposure and later attended various in-person workshops in specialist niches as my interest grew. It’s important to understand and master the basics first in a style of learning that suits you. Enjoy the process and have fun with it, and of course, practice practice, practice! Once you find a niche that aligns with you, you will gravitate towards it naturally. It can take years to develop a distinct style but as a creative you’re continuously evolving and you will always be your own worst critic!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a UK based wildlife photographer and fervent advocate for conservation. Since childhood, I have always been drawn to the natural world. To me, it is the greatest source of beauty, wonder and excitement and photography has enabled me to express this innate passion through a compassionate lens.

My aim is to use photography to share the beauty of our natural world by bringing it into our homes, connecting us with the wild across all borders. By raising awareness about important conservation issues I hope to inspire people to take steps however small to protect our wild and to cultivate hope by sharing stories of wildlife projects whilst supporting them through the sale of my artwork.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

As a creative, my journey has meant that I have had to accept and adapt to new ideas. It has involved taking risks and exploring a magnitude of new experiences. These parts of my journey are often the antithesis of non-creatives whose preference may be to adhere to the comfort of traditional methods and follow the rules and norms they are accustomed to. They may fail to embrace the flux of change and risks associated with a creative journey. I have too been guilty of this, attempting to balance my primary job and finding middle ground has often been challenging. My hope would be to inspire and motivate such individuals to be open to an alternative way of thinking. In fact, many psychologists believe that creativity is not always innate but a skill that can be learnt. Thus, anyone can verve from their current path in life, shift their focus and perspective and explore different avenues of creativity.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My family heritage provided me with the opportunity and privilege of travelling to Tanzania and Kenya in my childhood. However, in the summer of 2022, I returned to East Africa for the first time in over 20 years. This time with the purpose of experiencing and photographing African wildlife and to witness first- hand the conservation efforts of organizations I’d been championing whilst out on a volunteering programmed in Kenya. I had answered my inner calling! I left this trip forever changed, inspired and even more compelled to make a difference and impact with the tools I have at my disposal, my camera! My work is of wildlife for wildlife with 20% of profits from all artwork being donated to the conservation charities at the forefront of protecting some of our most threatened species in the wild.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shivawildlife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiva_wildlife/